Virgil Runnels
Virgil Riley Runnels, Jr., better known as "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes, was an American professional wrestler, booker/writer, and trainer who most notably worked for the National Wrestling Alliance, NWA Championship Wrestling from Florida, Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP), and WWE. Rhodes is considered one of the greatest wrestlers and talkers in the history of professional wrestling. Rhodes was a three-time NWA World's Heavyweight Champion, and during his time in Jim Crockett Promotions' Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling, later known as World Championship Wrestling (WCW), he was a NWA United States Heavyweight Champion, and multi-time NWA World Television, NWA Tag Team and NWA World 6-Man Tag Team Champion. He also won many regional championships, and is one of seven men inducted into each of the WWE, WCW, Professional Wrestling, and Wrestling Observer Newsletter Halls of Fame. His sons, Dustin and Cody, both pursued careers in professional wrestling, performing for WWE and AEW. Following his retirement from wrestling, he made occasional on-air appearances on WWE television and pay-per-views and worked as a backstage booker/writer and producer in WWE's NXT developmental territory. Billed as "the son of a plumber", Rhodes did not have a typical wrestler's physique; his character was that of the "common man", known for the personality exhibited in his interviews. WWE chairman Vince McMahon remarked that no wrestler "personified the essence of charisma quite like Dusty Rhodes".
Acting
TV
Raw
as Dusty Rhodes
1993
TV
Raw
1993
Movie
Scooby-Doo! and WWE: Curse of the Speed Demon
as Dusty Rhodes (voice)
2016
TV
WWE NXT
2010
TV
TNA iMPACT!
2004
TV
TNA iMPACT!
as Dusty Rhodes.
2004
TV
TNA iMPACT!
as Dusty Rhodes
2004
Movie
You Cannot Kill David Arquette
as Self (archive footage)
2020
TV
WWE Saturday Night's Main Event
1985
TV
WWE Saturday Night's Main Event
as Dusty Rhodes
1985
TV
WCW Monday Nitro
1995
TV
WCW Monday Nitro
as Dusty Rhodes
1995
Movie
American Nightmare: Becoming Cody Rhodes
as Self (Archival Footage)
2023
Movie
WWE WrestleMania VI
as Dusty Rhodes
1990
Movie
Nature Boy
as Self (archive footage)
2017
Movie
The Rise & Fall of WCW
as Dusty Rhodes
2009
TV
Biography: WWE Legends
2021
TV
ECW Hardcore TV
1993
Movie
WWE Battleground 2013
as Dusty Rhodes (Ringside)
2013
Movie
WWE Survivor Series 1990
as Dusty Rhodes
1990
Movie
Bray Wyatt: Becoming Immortal
as Self
2024
Movie
WWE Royal Rumble 1991
as Dusty Rhodes
1991
Movie
WWE Royal Rumble 1990
as Dusty Rhodes
1990
Movie
WWE SummerSlam 1990
as "The Common Man" Dusty Rhodes
1990
Crew
TV
Raw
Writer
1993
TV
TNA iMPACT!
Producer
2004
Movie
WWE Royal Rumble 2006
Writer
2006
Movie
WWE Royal Rumble 2007
Writer
2007
TV
WWE Saturday Night's Main Event
Writer
1985
Movie
NWA Starrcade 1985
Writer
1985
Movie
WWE Tribute to the Troops 2014
Executive Producer
2014
Movie
WCW SuperBrawl VI
Writer
1996
Movie
WCW Bash at the Beach 1996
Writer
1996
Movie
NWA Starrcade 1987
Writer
1987
Movie
NWA Starrcade 1983
Writer
1983
Movie
WCW SuperBrawl VII
Writer
1997